This invention relates to mobile storage units and in particular to apparatus for application to these storage units, most particularly apparatus for preventing these storage units from tipping in the fore and aft direction of movement.
Mobile storage systems comprise a series of storage units which have shelves or bins, for example. Each of the storage units is movable on rails to create an access aisle between two of the units and to establish the others in close side-by-side relationship to minimize the amount of floor space required for the units. Especially in larger mobile storage units and systems, the carriages can be quite large, and the loads they carry quite heavy, such as steel or construction materials. One characteristic of these units is that each unit is relatively high and narrow in the direction of travel along the rails. A top loaded unit may thus become unstable and capable of tipping in the direction of motion, either at the beginning of movement or at the end.
There are anti-tip devices that are known to be usable in connection with these mobile storage units. For instance, Peterman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,191, discloses a locking arm that is pivotably attached to the underside of the carriage frame and latches onto the underside of a specially designed rail. While such a device has been generally satisfactory, there may be certain operating conditions under which it may be possible for the storage unit to lurch to one side of the rails.
Another anti-tip device for application to a mobile storage unit is shown in Peterman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,411. While this device has been widely used, in certain applications it may be advantageous to provide an anti-tip device with greater shear strength or which provides more leverage to counter the likelihood of the storage unit to tip.
This invention relates to improvements to the structure indicated above and to solutions to the problems raised or not solved thereby.